EUBCE 2026 - Louise OLSSON - Catalyst Deactivation in Green Hydrotreaters: Impact of Catalyst Composition

Catalyst Deactivation in Green Hydrotreaters: Impact of Catalyst Composition

Short Introductive summary

This study addresses catalyst deactivation in green hydrotreaters used for biofuel production, with a focus on understanding how catalyst composition influences resistance to deactivation. While previous research has primarily focused on deactivation mechanisms like coking, sintering, and metal or sulfur leaching, less attention has been given to the impact of impurities—specifically metallic and non-metallic elements present in bio-oil feedstocks—acting as catalyst poisons. The aim was to investigate how different active metals and supports (NiMo/Al2O3, NiMo/SiO2-Al2O3, NiW/Al2O3, and bare supports such as Al2O3, SiO2-Al2O3, zeolite Y) influence the deactivation after long term usage in a green hydrotreater. The key point of the project is to use catalysts synthesized at Chalmers University and tested under real industrial conditions in a refinery hydrotreater, providing highly relevant data on catalyst performance and deactivation in practice. Experimental results indicated that spent bimetallic catalysts and supports accumulated significant amounts of phosphorus and alkali metals (potassium and sodium), with NiW/Al2O3 showing the highest uptake of most poisons. Bare supports, ho

E. Nejadmoghadam, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, SWEDEN
O. Öhrman, Preem AB, Gothenburg, SWEDEN
D. Creaser, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, SWEDEN
L. Olsson, Chalmers University, Gothenburg, SWEDEN